24
Feb
Case Closed
McGee vs Cotton: NBL26 Performances Tracker
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Illawarra Hawks import JaVale McGee and Adelaide 36ers star Bryce Cotton. Photos: Getty Images
Highlights
Bryce Cotton's sixth MVP Award confirmed he is and remains the best player in the NBL
- Case Closed: McGee already the best player in the league
- Bryce Cotton's drive for five makes history
- How Bryce Cotton won his sixth MVP award
Adelaide 36ers superstar Bryce Cotton is now a six-time NBL Most Valuable Player, and despite exploding onto the scene, JaVale McGee’s 19.3 PPG and 10 RPG campaign didn’t warrant an All-NBL First Team or Second Team selection.
Bryce Cotton vs JaVale McGee in NBL26
+----------------+----+------+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
| Player | GP | PTS | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | OR | DR | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- | EFF |
+----------------+----+------+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
| Bryce Cotton | 32 | 25.6 | 8.2 | 18.7| 43.7 | 3.2 | 8.4 | 36.7 | 6.0 | 6.7 |0.5 |3.1 | 3.6 | 7.4 |2.9 | 1.7 | 0.3 |1.5 | 5.9 | 26.0 |
| JaVale McGee | 31 | 19.3 | 7.8 | 13.9| 57.9 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 11.3 | 3.5 | 4.7 |3.2 |6.8 |10.0 | 2.1 |2.4 | 0.9 | 1.8 |2.2 |-3.8 | 26.1 |
+----------------+----+------+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+The NBL26 MVP race ended up being a debate-heavy battle between Cotton and Sydney Kings scoring guard Kendric Davis, as each led their teams to second and first in the league.
Cotton won the vote by just two — 96 to 94 — in Melbourne last night (Monday, February 24, 2026) after beating out Davis for his fifth MVP last season 119 to 82.
Illawarra Hawks centre McGee, 38, was snubbed an All-NBL selection despite leading the league in blocked shots (1.8) with JackJumpers skipper Will Magnay and finishing second in rebounding (10.0) behind All-NBL Second Team member Zylan Cheatham (10.2).
A centre was not named to either All-NBL Team.
Two Illawarra Hawks stars made the All-NBL First Team last season — Trey Kell III and Tyler Harvey — while centre Sam Froling was named to the Second Team and head coach Justin Tatum was named NBL25 Coach of the Year.
No Hawks player made the finals of any award in NBL26 after finishing a disappointing eighth at 13-20.
McGee, a three-time NBA champion and Olympic gold medallist, relied on teammates to get him the ball while Cotton was the primary scorer and facilitator for the 36ers. Usage and impact were the differences between the two.
But Efficiency tells a different story.
+----------------+----+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Player | GP | Avg EFF | Total EFF | High EFF | 30+ EFF G |
+----------------+----+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Bryce Cotton | 32 | 26.0 | 832 | 46 | 14 |
| JaVale McGee | 31 | 26.1 | 809 | 45 | 12 |
+----------------+----+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+Per-Game Impact
- McGee: 26.1
- Cotton: 26.0
- Essentially identical on a per-game basis.
Total Season Impact
- Cotton: 832 total EFF
- McGee: 809 total EFF
- Cotton edges ahead due to playing one more game.
Peak Performance
- Cotton high: 46
- McGee high: 45
- Both had multiple 40+ games.
30+ Efficiency Games
- Cotton: 14
- McGee: 12
- Cotton had slightly more high-impact nights.
But Efficiency doesn’t win games or awards. Cotton’s sixth MVP validates that he is the best player in the league.
Case Closed.
Bryce Cotton Individual Box Scores
+----+-----+-----+-------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
| G | PTS | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | OR | DR | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- | EFF |
+----+-----+-----+-------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
| 1 | 39 | 14 | 23 | 60.9 | 6 | 9 | 66.7 | 5 | 5 | 100 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 37 |
| 2 | 28 | 11 | 18 | 61.1 | 4 | 8 | 50 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 34 |
| 3 | 29 | 6 | 12 | 50 | 3 | 5 | 60 | 14 | 15 | 93.3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 34 |
| 4 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -24 | -2 |
| 5 | 28 | 10 | 23 | 43.5 | 4 | 10 | 40 | 4 | 4 | 100 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 45 |
| 6 | 53 | 16 | 29 | 55.2 | 5 | 13 | 38.5 | 16 | 16 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 46 |
| 7 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 41.2 | 3 | 6 | 50 | 5 | 5 | 100 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 18 |
| 8 | 24 | 5 | 14 | 35.7 | 3 | 11 | 27.3 | 11 | 14 | 78.6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 43 |
| 9 | 23 | 7 | 18 | 38.9 | 4 | 11 | 36.4 | 5 | 8 | 62.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| 10 | 23 | 8 | 24 | 33.3 | 7 | 13 | 53.8 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -7 | 25 |
| 11 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 16.7 | 7 | 7 | 100 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 17 |
| 12 | 41 | 11 | 27 | 40.7 | 7 | 19 | 36.8 | 12 | 13 | 92.3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 34 |
| 13 | 31 | 11 | 22 | 50 | 6 | 10 | 60 | 3 | 5 | 60 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 36 |
| 14 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 40 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 100 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 19 |
| 15 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 60 | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 7 | 7 | 100 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 23 |
| 16 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 60 | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 7 | 7 | 100 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 23 |
| 17 | 33 | 10 | 24 | 41.7 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 11 | 12 | 91.7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 37 |
| 18 | 25 | 8 | 19 | 42.1 | 2 | 6 | 33.3 | 7 | 9 | 77.8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 26 |
| 19 | 16 | 6 | 18 | 33.3 | 2 | 5 | 40 | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 20 | 22 | 6 | 23 | 26.1 | 2 | 9 | 22.2 | 8 | 8 | 100 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 24 |
| 21 | 36 | 14 | 24 | 58.3 | 6 | 12 | 50 | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 34 |
| 22 | 16 | 6 | 19 | 31.6 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| 23 | 23 | 7 | 13 | 53.9 | 5 | 6 | 83.3 | 4 | 5 | 80 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -5 | 26 |
| 24 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 27.8 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 100 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -7 | 7 |
| 25 | 30 | 10 | 20 | 50 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 9 | 10 | 90 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -19 | 24 |
| 26 | 33 | 11 | 21 | 52.4 | 5 | 10 | 50 | 6 | 6 | 100 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 36 |
| 27 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 41.7 | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 6 | 6 | 100 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 19 |
| 28 | 22 | 8 | 15 | 53.3 | 1 | 7 | 14.3 | 5 | 5 | 100 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 32 | 28 |
| 29 | 26 | 7 | 21 | 33.3 | 2 | 7 | 28.6 | 10 | 11 | 90.9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -20 | 18 |
| 30 | 28 | 11 | 27 | 40.7 | 4 | 13 | 30.8 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | -3 | 22 |
| 31 | 17 | 6 | 16 | 37.5 | 2 | 6 | 33.3 | 3 | 4 | 75 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 14 |
| 32 | 42 | 14 | 26 | 53.9 | 7 | 16 | 43.8 | 7 | 8 | 87.5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 35 |
+----+-----+-----+-------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+JaVale McGee Individual Box Scores
+----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
| G | PTS | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | OR | DR | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- | EFF |
+----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
| 1 | 32 | 15 | 20 | 75.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | -2 | 43 |
| 2 | 26 | 12 | 20 | 60.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | -1 | 32 |
| 3 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 66.7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | -29 | 17 |
| 4 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 71.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 27 |
| 5 | 22 | 8 | 18 | 44.4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | -27 | 23 |
| 6 | 24 | 11 | 18 | 61.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 30 |
| 7 | 13 | 6 | 14 | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -42 | 17 |
| 8 | 17 | 8 | 14 | 57.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -6 | 45 |
| 9 | 37 | 13 | 21 | 61.9 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 40 |
| 10 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 92.3 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 32 |
| 11 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 50.0 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -27 | 8 |
| 12 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 22.2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | -12 | 42 |
| 13 | 28 | 10 | 12 | 83.3 | 1 | 2 | 50 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 36 |
| 14 | 29 | 14 | 21 | 66.7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 38 |
| 15 | 17 | 6 | 17 | 35.3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -11 | 19 |
| 16 | 30 | 13 | 19 | 68.4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 35 |
| 17 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 50.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -14 | 24 |
| 18 | 20 | 7 | 14 | 50.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -11 | 17 |
| 19 | 16 | 7 | 16 | 43.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | -13 | 18 |
| 20 | 16 | 7 | 12 | 58.3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 24 |
| 21 | 17 | 5 | 14 | 35.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -13 | 18 |
| 22 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 80.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 11 |
| 23 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 36.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -10 | 18 |
| 24 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 90.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 32 |
| 25 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 87.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 27 |
| 26 | 17 | 8 | 12 | 66.7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -23 | 27 |
| 27 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 56.3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -7 | 27 |
| 28 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 29 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 55.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -10 | 20 |
| 30 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 66.7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 31 |
| 31 | 15 | 6 | 16 | 37.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 19 |
+----+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+----+----+-----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+------+------+
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